Andhra Pradesh will witness another son rise on the political horizon. Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, the only son of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is getting ready to take a plunge and contest the elections from the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, a family fiefdom for decades.
The announcement that Jaganmoahn will be contesting the next poll was made by Rajasekhara Reddy's younger brother Vivekananda Reddy, who is the sitting MP.
Jaganmohan Reddy is an industrialist who has set up several projects in Kadapa and has a well-established business in Bengaluru.
Vivekananda Reddy said that Jagan's father and other family members have also approved his entry in to politics. Describing Jangamohan Reddy, a "young man with leadership qualities", his uncle said that he was already active in the Congress and was trying to build up the cadre and taking the government's programs to the people.
The news about Jaganmohan's anointment has not come as a surprise to anybody. It was well known in political circles that Rajasekhara Reddy and his family was keen to groom him for a role in politics.
In fact it had become a major issue soon after YSR led the Congress to victory in the state assembly elections in May 2004. Soon after that Vivekananda Reddy said he would resign as MP from Kadapa and settle down in the US with his daughter. He wanted his nephew to contest by elections. YSR appeared in favor of the idea but it was shot down by Congress President Sonia Gandhi who was averse to a by-election so early.
Apart from setting up a cement factory in Kadpa district, Jaganmohan has also launched a multi edition Telugu daily newspaper Sakshi. Presently he is busy with plans of launching a television channel in December.